


Wouldn't It Be Great?

by Muucifer



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mentioned Gamzee Makara/Terezi Pyrope, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, Past Karkat Vantas & Gamzee Makara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-11
Updated: 2013-07-11
Packaged: 2017-12-19 04:15:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/879352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muucifer/pseuds/Muucifer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karkat can’t sleep so he goes to John’s room. He doesn’t expect much but John always surprises everyone, including him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wouldn't It Be Great?

John rolls over as he hears the door to his block whoosh open, and soft footsteps pad across the floor. He blinks bleary eyed up at his visitor and reaches over to grab his glasses. Stuffing them on his face as his bed dips down, he watches Karkat clasp his hands between his knees and hang his head. The sleepy boy sits up and crawls over to where the troll is perched wearily on the edge, taking up as little space as he can.

“Hey Karkat, what’s wrong?” His voice cracks a bit from sleep towards the end of his sentence, so he clears his throat waiting for an answer. When it comes, Karkat’s raspy voice is little more than a whisper.

“I can’t. I know you’re not my moirail and you can’t be but I just can’t go to Gamzee.” John props his head on the short male’s shoulder, peering at him in the dark. To his surprise, Karkat leans back into the curl of his body, tucking himself into the space between where John’s kneeling and his chin. “I can’t sleep alone. I don’t sleep.” John shifts, plopping on his rear behind the troll and stretches his legs out on either side of pointy hips. He reaches out and wraps his arms around Karkat, drawing him back to his chest.

“It’s okay Karkat, I’m here. But uh, why can’t you go to Gamzee?” Using his windy powers, John lifts them off the bed and deposits them so his back is propped against the wall. Resting his head between the two nubby candy corn horns, he finds Karkat’s hands on his lap and takes them in his own, idly rubbing his thumb over the dry skin on the back. A low rumbly purr vibrates from the usually angry troll, and the blue eyed boy can feel it in his chest.

“When Dave and Terezi stopped being matesprits, she went pitch for Gamzee. I can’t stand it...” The last part was so quiet, if it hadn’t been completely silent in the room, John would have had no hope of hearing it. Tightening his arms around the slim waist, he drops his head to rest against Karkat’s, nose gently pressed against his jaw. Watching his fingers flex around the short grey ones, he smiles.

“Karkat your fingers are so small and cute.” Resting their palms together, he can curl his fingers down over the tips of the other’s, careful to press lightly on the sharp yellow claws. Karkat’s purr turns to a soft growl, and he tugs his hands away, twisting in John’s arms so he can duck his face into the human’s chest.

“Shut up, not everyone has freakishly long fingers. Seriously they’d be so easy to snap in a fight, how can you even control them.” It wasn’t a question so he just chuckles, holding the huffy troll to him. Karkat was small, but he wasn’t soft or smooth, all sharp angles and harsh lines, his sinew muscles stretch in ways too different from a human’s. But Karkat always wore his too-large black sweater, making him seem smaller and cuddly. His body is like a miniature furnace in John’s grip, keeping him warm despite not being under the blankets.

“Go to sleep Karkat, I’ll protect you. That’s what moirails do right? Watch out for each other? Sorry I still don’t get the quadrant thing...” He trails off, but feels the trolls head drop into a nod under his. John runs his hands absently up and down Karkat’s side over the odd ridge he can feel, even through the thick material. This whole situation he feels like he should be freaking out, something about cuddling another boy didn’t scream heterosexual, but he’s calm. And he remains calm, even when he nuzzles down against the fluffy black hair. Even when he feels compelled to press a soft kiss the troll’s temple.

Karkat’s warm and safe here in this dorky humans arms. He knows they can’t be pale, as much as he wants to be, remembering John doesn’t have those feelings for boys. Right now he doesn’t care; balled up and safe and sleepy. Dozing off, he almost misses the soft, slightly damp press of pink lips and the breathy “goodnight” that brushes his cheek.

John’s fingers curl into the stray pieces of hair littering the grey neck, and carefully strokes though the messy curls. He hums a lullaby until well after the troll has fallen into a rare, peaceful sleep.

.:..:..:.

Karkat’s consciousness comes back slowly, and it’s weird because he can feel fingers in his hair and the soft fabric under his cheek rises and falls. He twists his head, peeking up at the buck toothed face above him. Blue eyes flutter open and glance down at him, then John smiles and nudges their noses together.

“Good morning Karkat! I hope you slept good, you looked really peaceful and happy.” One long hand brushes the thin strip of grey skin exposed near his hip, toasty and solid under his touch. The other hand scritches the back of a tousled mop of hair. Karkat rests his cheek against John’s shoulder, sighing against the boy’s collar bone. He tightens his arms around the human’s narrow waist, and finally licks his dry lips.

“Yeah it was nice, I suppose... You didn’t sleep at all did you?” John’s breath is brushing across Karkat’s face when he turns to look down at him. His blue eyes are just the slightest bit glossy, and he’s got the formings of under-eye bags, but his smile is so wide it hurts. Karkat tries to smile back at him but it comes out more of a grimace-turned-yawn.

“Hehe, yeah not really. I said I’d look after you while you slept, didn’t I? I couldn’t do that if I was sleeping too!” Karkat grumbles under his breath and John giggles at him. They lay there in peaceful silence for a while; Karkat listening to the quiet beating of the heart near his ear and the light rustle of fabric as John’s chest rises and falls, and John tapping the fingers of one hand to a noiseless tune up and down Karkat’s side, the other hand sliding through the troll’s messy curls.

Finally Karkat stretches out his legs across John’s lap and pushes himself up a bit so he’s more eye level with the human. They stare at eachother for a moment and Karkat doesn’t miss the gentle fondness in John’s face. It may not be pity, but it constricts his bloodpusher and he wishes desperately that John’s not going to tell him he can’t do this again. Karkat hopes he can keep this rouse of a moirallegiance going. Even with Gamzee he was never this relaxed; more focused on keeping the highblood calm and listening to his nonsensical ramblings. He could get used to this, everything about this. From the blue-eyed boy’s soothing fingers and calming touches- he knows they’re not reserved for him but he can still pretend- to the tender warmth coddling him. But he shouldn’t get used to it. Pushing his hand into his eyes he groans, “Let’s go eat I’m fucking starving.”

Those long fingers tangle in his hair carefully and tug him back to the taller male’s warm chest, the heat instantly surrounding him again. “Karkat, uhm, I don’t know if this was just once or even if you still hate me,” Oh gog he still remembers that. “But, if you, I dunno, want to sleep in here again, you can. I don’t want you to go without sleep, it’s not good for you.” Grey and yellow eyes blink up at John, full of uncertainty and confusion. Sharp teeth poke out of dark grey lips, a low growl tumbling from his throat before he can stop it.

“I know you’re not a ‘homosexual’ and your pity isn’t romantic so can you not fucking look down on me. Don’t fucking feel obligated to be nice to me because you’re and idiot and more than happy to be nice to everyone. Just fucking let me wallow in the fiery ball of hatred that is my own self loathing yo-” Pale fingers slap over his mouth and Karkat gets the overwhelming urge to bite them off. Then John carefully knocks his forehead against the grey one, maneuvering away from those horns. Pink lips stretch into a grin and John chuckles. Karkat scowls at him and goes to snap at him but the hand over his mouth smothers it.

“This is maybe a stupid human boy trying to say that maybe he’s not as not into guys as he once told a certain angry troll and he doesn’t maybe mind snuggling said troll and being in a totally friendly romantic relationship that’s maybe in the shape of a diamond.” John looks away quickly, his cheeks colored red, and nibbles at his bottom lip with those overly large front teeth. He looks so nervous and very much embarrassed. Karkat stares owlishly at him, then narrows his eyes and wrenches the hand off his mouth.

“Is this some sort of fucking joke? Oh lets fucking pretend to be interested in the mutant then crush his fucking bloodpusher by turning around and saying ‘haha it was a prank, I got you so good!’ Wow John, I thought maybe you were better than that, but apparently I was wrong and you can’t use your fucking thinkpan to plan a better prank on me than this.” Blue eyes widen comically, and his mouth flaps but no words come out. “Wow stumped can’t believe you can’t fucking think of anything to say. Is this seriously the first time someones realised one of your pranks? Give it up, I don’t need a moirail that bad, even though past Karkat is an idiot and came here to pretend like he had one and to pretend like maybe someone fucking pitied him even the slightest bit.” There’s a rumbling growl in his voice, mostly to cover the hurt he feels. But the stinging in his eyes betrays him as they water pathetically. Karkat scrubs at them trying to wipe away all trace of them, but the pink tears stain his hands and then his cheeks as they overflow.

Deft fingers wipe the tears off his red and pink blotched face, and soft, feather light kisses replace them. “Shoosh Karkat, this isn’t a prank. Please don’t cry, shoosh shoosh. I’m saying I want to be your moirail. I know I don’t really know how to do it, and I don’t even know if it’s possible to be a human and be one. But I want to, please Karkat, I don’t want to see you sad. Come on don’t cry, I promise this isn’t a prank.” Nuzzling his nose into Karkat’s cheek, he continues to shoosh him, his hands now stroking through the troll’s hair. John presses the short male into his chest, and wraps around him, tucking him into the warm cocoon of his body.

“Okay.” It’s whispered, barely even a noise, against John’s chest. Karkat buries his face into the other male and inhales, body still shuddering. A few more soothing kisses ghost across the top of his head. John exhales carefully, the warmth caressing his horns, winding around them and heating his whole body pleasantly. Safe.

Far too soon John’s standing him up and holding Karkat straight as he guides them through the lab. He jerks out of his grip and drops into pace next to him, their fingers brushing each other languidly. Pianist digits twist into his own, locking securely. Karkat watches them for a minute then drops his head against the slim, blue-clad shoulders, purring contentedly.

John flashes him a buck toothed grin, tilts his head down and places one more pale kiss against the grey temple. They stroll casually next to each other, and Karkat doesn’t deny the happiness for once. He’s smiling secretly against the soft fabric, letting John lead the way. He has a moirail, and for once he feels like he can relax. So he knocks one horn against the tall male’s jaw affectionately then drags him off to the kitchen, hands still laced tightly together.


End file.
